Oscar Backlund, stage and movie actor, dies at 94 January 21, 2021 — 8:01pm Text size Copy shortlink: "Where have you been?" the bartender questioned. "It's television." Backlund's love of movies and the burgeoning television industry triggered a 40-year career as a broadcast journalist and stage and movie actor. He played character roles in more than 100 theater productions and had small parts in the movies "Grumpy Old Men," "Grumpier Old Men" and "D3: The Mighty Ducks." He died Jan. 4 of natural causes at Walker Care Suites in Edina. He was 94. Backlund was born in Minneapolis and graduated from Vocational High School in Minneapolis. He was excited to be drafted into the Army in World War II because his cousin was already serving in Europe. He didn't see a lot of action, but he was shot at once and didn't like it, said daughter Elizabeth Danielson of Golden Valley.